BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Target Test Prep · GMAT

Choose how you want to prepare

Learn live with an expert or move at your own pace. Every option includes the complete TTP study system.

★★★★★5.0559 reviews
Vote for Target Test Prep, Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards 2026
NEWSWEEK READERS’ CHOICE 2026

BIG NEWS! Target Test Prep has been nominated, and they’d love your vote!

TTP has worked incredibly hard to build the best test prep experience possible, and winning Newsweek’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Test Prep would mean a lot to them. If TTP has helped you, they’d be incredibly grateful for your vote. You can vote once each day through September 9.

Vote for TTP
GMATLiveTeach 7 seats left
Chris Peckover
NEXT LIVE COHORT

Oct 13 to Jan 7, 2027

with Chris Peckover

Schedule
Tue, Thu · 8:00 to 10:00 PM ET
Included
40 live hours + 6 months of GMAT OnDemand
  • Live instruction and real-time questions
  • Class recordings and assigned practice
View class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeach 5 seats left
Logan Thompson
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Sep 6 to Dec 6, 2026

with Logan Thompson

Schedule
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes plus six months of access to the complete TTP EA OnDemand course.
  • 165+ EA Score Guarantee
  • 4,100+ Quant, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning practice questions
  • 400+ hours of in-depth video lessons
  • 3,000+ step-by-step video solutions
View EA class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemand Start anytime
SELF-PACED MASTERCLASS

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Complete access from day one. Study on your schedule.

715+ score guarantee
$0to start then $127/mo
  • Personalized study plan and analytics
  • Thousands of lessons and practice questions
Start free 5-day trial
Read 559 reviewsTarget Test Prep

Compare the format, schedule, and included access before enrolling. Prices and seat counts shown reflect the supplied offer details.

postal service

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 301
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 3:18 pm
Thanked: 4 times
by ansumania » Tue Apr 20, 2010 2:10 am
pl. discuss.

The postal service is badly mismanaged. Forty years ago, first-class letter delivery cost only three cents. Since then, the price has increased nearly tenfold, with an actual decrease in the speed and reliability of service.
Each of the following statements, if true, would tend to weaken the argument above EXCEPT:


(A) The volume of mail handled by the postal service has increased dramatically over the last forty years.
(B) Unprecedented increases in the cost of fuel for trucks and planes have put severe upward pressures on postal delivery costs.
(C) Private delivery services usually charge more than does the postal service for comparable delivery charges.
(D) The average delivery time for a first-class letter four decades ago was actually slightly longer than it is today.
(E) The average level of consumer prices overall has increased more than 300 percent over the last forty years.


regards,

Ansumania
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Critical Reasoning |
Legendary Member
Posts: 2326
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:54 amFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 173 times
GMAT Score:710

by gmatmachoman » Tue Apr 20, 2010 4:27 am
ansumania wrote:pl. discuss.

The postal service is badly mismanaged. Forty years ago, first-class letter delivery cost only three cents. Since then, the price has increased nearly tenfold, with an actual decrease in the speed and reliability of service.
Each of the following statements, if true, would tend to weaken the argument above EXCEPT:


(A) The volume of mail handled by the postal service has increased dramatically over the last forty years.
(B) Unprecedented increases in the cost of fuel for trucks and planes have put severe upward pressures on postal delivery costs.
(C) Private delivery services usually charge more than does the postal service for comparable delivery charges.
(D) The average delivery time for a first-class letter four decades ago was actually slightly longer than it is today.
(E) The average level of consumer prices overall has increased more than 300 percent over the last forty years.


regards,

Ansumania
IMO C
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:25 am
Thanked: 14 times
GMAT Score:720

by November Rain » Tue Apr 20, 2010 4:50 am
IMO E.

Its the only one that strenghts the critic, instead of weaking it.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 379
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 12:53 am
Location: Chennai,India
Thanked: 3 times

by paddle_sweep » Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:33 am
Please post the OA. IMO it's [spoiler]'E'.[/spoiler]
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 7:46 am

by chrsrook » Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:37 am
IMO C...

Comparing cost of private delivery service to that of postal services is out of scope. This doesn't weaken the conclusion that postal services are mismanaged.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 301
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 3:18 pm
Thanked: 4 times

by ansumania » Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:37 am
OA is "E"

please explain how E is the answer...
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 379
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 12:53 am
Location: Chennai,India
Thanked: 3 times

by paddle_sweep » Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:51 am
ansumania wrote:OA is "E"

please explain how E is the answer...
'E' does not seem to have any relationship with the passage.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:25 am
Thanked: 14 times
GMAT Score:720

by November Rain » Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:03 am
Hi
The reason why its E is because, like I said, it's the only one that strengths the critic instead of weakening it.

The Critic is: "The Postal Services are being mismanaged because the costs have increased tenfold while the quality has decreased"

Now, the right answer is the one that does not weakens this critic, but actually strengths it.
E says that the inflation has risen 300% (4 x). However, the costs of the Postal Services have increase tenfold. Therefore it is a clear sign that the Postal Services are mismanaged, strengthing the argument.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 171
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:59 amFollowed by: 3 members
Thanked: 13 times

by nileshdalvi » Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:51 am
What is the source of this question?

There seem no 4 choices which are convincingly weakening the argument.

As far as I understand, just price increase does not claim mismanagement. Price Increase with speed decrease and delayed service is what concludes mismanaging the service.

I can see only A and D convincingly weakening the argument. 'A' targets reliability and provides an excuse for it by not associating it with mismanagement. 'D' targets speed saying that the delay has actually decreased. However, I feel it contradicts the evidence for doing so.

Rest of them, I cant see weakening, so I am not able to decide between B,C and E


Any comments?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 5:38 am
Thanked: 10 times

by Shawshank » Tue Apr 20, 2010 8:51 am
imo -- C..

I dont think E is strengthening the argument.

What is the source of this question.. if its 1000CR then no point debating the answer....
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shawshank Redemtion -- Hope is still alive ...
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:05 pm

by xyztroy » Tue Apr 20, 2010 9:36 am
Shawshank wrote:imo -- C..

I dont think E is strengthening the argument.

What is the source of this question.. if its 1000CR then no point debating the answer....
300% increase of other prices = 4 times than the price 4 decades ago.
Postal Prices are now 10 times of the price 4 decades ago.

So It shows Postal department's mismanagement. While other prices have increased by only 4 times, but postal prices have increased 10 times.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1